So, you still haven't asked, so your finds have been dismal at best, Why????

dirtlooter

Gold Member
Jun 5, 2014
8,889
13,498
mid western ARK
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Detector(s) used
XP Deus with 9"LF and 9" HF Coils and 600 Equinox with stock and 6" coils
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I know that a lot of you want to find more and or better quality finds but haven't crossed the line to actually getting a permission. Permissions are the bread and butter for a lot of detectorist, getting a permission is like being handed a lotto ticket for free. You may not win anything but then again, you might win and win big. The biggest reason most people don't knock and ask is from fear of rejection. But I say, who cares if someone says no?:dontknow: Who cares if 9 out of 10 people say no if that one yes means finding something awesome? Most of my best finds have come from somebodies yard or an even bigger permission. My current permission is a quite large one that will keep me busy for quite a while. Getting permission involved me going up to a group of men outside of an establishment and simply asking. I had gone by this place numerous times but chickened out until I was tired of not finding anything old and really nice. So, I saw the men and decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I was pointed in the direction to whom would have the say so and so I walked over and politely asked again. The man smiled and said sure, no problem but then asked if I could help them in something with my detector which I did happily. I was actually relieved that it had been so easy (this time). I was in decent clothing and looked respectable plus I was as polite as I could be. I assured him that I would not leave any holes or bad messes and even gave him my phone number. This one permission has given me several first finds as well as a lot of others. :headbang::headbang:Big silvers, mercs, rosies, barber, lots of wheaties, several IH, several buffs, rings including another class ring, several tokens, WWII military dog tags (returned), more silver military, relics, two different kinds of collar disks from WWII and other things that I have forgotten about. And I found even more today and haven't gotten to 10 to 12 acres of it yet. As others have said, sometimes the owner will say that it has already been detected before and cleaned out. Oh well, may I still try it? Not everybody is an expert plus what kind of machine were they using etc? I have gone over an area at a school yard that I had hammered hard the year before and was surprised at what I still found. Most guys will tell you that they get rejected a lot but then someone opens the door and says yes. Sometimes giving the permission granter a little something nice that you have found opens the door to other areas or places. The way I see it (through my feeble eyes) you ain't got nuthin to lose and possibly a lot to gain. So quit driving by those places and watch for opportunities to ask! You could be the one posting the awesome silver or gold finds, maybe relics or civ finds. One of my friends, in his forties, was talking to an old school mate when he finally admitted that he had had a crush on her when he was a senior but was afraid to ask. She smiled and told him, You should have asked! As we walked away, he turned and told me, I was an idiot! You don't stop and ask, someone else eventually will. So, take a chance and see what happens, the worst thing that is going to happen is for them to say no and you already can't right now! Every time I see something really good in the plug or hole, I smile and say to myself, Sure glad I finally bit the bullet and asked. :icon_scratch:
 

Yes sir. This is the truth and Amen to it. I am still guilty of being a bit gun shy of asking permissions but, have landed a few this year and one being 2000 acres of farmland may offer some possibilities. Like you said, landing one can actually lead to more permissions being offered without even asking. I always offer my services to locate any lost metal items for free once a permission is granted. Heck, I'd probably be willing to mow their lawn if they asked. The folks that are finding the better finds are NOT necessarily technically better metal detectorists but, are swinging over better locations. Sights that may have never had another treasure hunter on them before. Great word of encouragement DL. I am so glad it has worked out so well for you and your beloved. Class rings found and returned, first coins scored, and who knows what else lies ahead? You are a definite asset to our community and T-net in general.:icon_salut:
 

2000 acres may be a daunting endeavor, surely there are several old home sites on that much land. success generates more success but it always starts with the first step. I try to encourage somebody to take that step even if it is a stumble, hopefully they will continue on and become more successful. success also grows confidence, when you can't find any really great finds, your confidence in yourself and your machine waivers. So, get the odds more in your favor with permissions.
 

I have to say that my first permission request, which I am still deeply into, has been awesome. Had I not asked, I'd still be putzing around the public beach, my neighbor's woods, and my back yard! Not that they haven't produced-they all have-but you have to expand your opportunities for treasure whenever and wherever you can.

My next move is the public library to seek out the old maps, and then ask for permission to explore!

And my goal by 12/31/17 is my first wheatie!! To be continued...
 

I got permission and a phone number for a 1790 farmhouse a couple months ago, but it is over half an hour away and I found an amazing virgin cellar hole. I hope he would still allow me to metal detect if I call him. Great post!
 

Great knowledge for any of Us to have. I've been door knocking around 5 years now. At first it kinda sucked every time I got a rejection, but when I started figuring that out of every 10 houses it's usually only 3 rejections. That's a lot of Permissions!! Sometimes it may be 5 out of 5, but those 5 yards could be where that one bucket lister is that I've always hoped to come acrossed. 5 years ago Asked permission at an older home on a hill in a Town that had Civil War activity. I had only thought the possibility of a wheat penny or 2. It's been 5 years and I'm still finding .69cal,.58cal dropped bullets, and this also place that I just recently found and posted the 1861 Half Dime I found 8" deep!!! Many treasures await You with a simple knock:) And all those places I've gotten turned down at, I go back every year and try again. I've finally gotten permission out of about half of them! Persistence can be a Good virtue for Us also. Happy Hunting!!
 

where i live there is a lot houses built in the civil war time period i can't get the courage to ask to detect there yard now maybe i will thanks dirtlooter
 

Now that you have permission to hunt the property---it is best to up-front ask if you get to keep what you find or if the property owner wants a share. On several occasions I spent hours searching yards
only to have the owners declare that they wanted everything I found,after showing them what was dug.That happened only twice. After that,I started to pocketed the good finds and showed the owners the junk and newer coins I dug.IF they were nice and friendly,I would share.
 

where i live there is a lot houses built in the civil war time period i can't get the courage to ask to detect there yard now maybe i will thanks dirtlooter

When you are looking down at something that you absolutely had no hope of finding and yet there it is and only because you knocked and asked. Then it is another thing or coin on your bucket list. At this current site, I have now far more mercs than rosies, never ever dreamed of that. I had told the man in charge that I would leave the area as pristine as possible but he just laughed and told me that between the fire ants and the armadillos, at least I would be refilling my holes. I wish you luck but the moment you begin digging in new permissions, you have created your own luck. just remember that not every permission produces. DL
 

I posted this awhile ago and it still holds true today: If you can expect 10% success, ask 10 times for one, a hundred times for 10. ╦╦Ç
 

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